Courses

An introduction to the study of the Earth: how it formed, how it evolved, how Earth systems interact to produce the environment in which we live, how geologists interpret rocks and how humans use earth resources. Laboratory exercises include learning to identify and interpret minerals and rocks, using topographic maps to understand landscapes and landscape processes, and examining volcanic and earthquake hazard and mitigation. This course is designed as an introductory course in the geosciences for both science and non-science majors. Fulfills the Q (Quantitative Reasoning) GE requirement.

Current topics include: Rare Earth - Building a Habitable Planet. What does it take to build a planet that harbors intelligent life? Are habitable planets common in the Universe, or is Earth the only one? In this course we will examine the development of planet Earth in light of the hypothesis that conditions necessary for a habitable planet are extremely rare in the universe. While emphasizing geology, this examination will involve us in aspects of biology and paleontology, astronomy and astrogeology, philosophy and even theology. Laboratory exercises will allow hands-on investigation of rocks, fossils, geologic maps, and other data important to our understanding of the development of planet Earth. This course is designed as an introductory course in the geosciences for both science and non-science majors. Fulfills the R (Oral Communication) GE requirement.

Current Topics include: Climate Change - Cool Science on a Hot Topic. Global warming constitutes one of the most controversial issues you, and society at large, will face in the future. At the center of this debate lies the question, "Are we responsible for the recent increase in global temperature, or is this trend part of the natural variability in the climate system?" To evaluate these possibilities, we will examine the geologic record of climate change and the processes responsible for these variations. While the majority of our discussions will focus on geology, we will also touch on elements of oceanography, meteorology, biology, paleontology, as well as policy and politics. By the end of this course you will be able to make informed decisions about the climate change issues we are certain to face in the future. This course is designed as an introductory course in the geosciences for both science and non-science majors and to fulfill the Q (Quantitative Reasoning) GE requirement.

This course provides a venue to explore different topics in Geosciences at the introductory level.

A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit.

A broad survey of the geologic aspects of environmental issues, emphasizing human interactions with the geologic environment. Topics include geologic hazards, such as earthquakes, landslides and flooding; global water supply and water quality issues, especially groundwater contamination and remediation; and global environmental change, with emphasis on climate change and global warming. This course fulfills the W overlay requirement.

Prerequisite(s): A 100-level course taught by GEOS faculty.

A survey of the geologic history of planet Earth. Major topics include global climate history, paleogeography, history of life, and tectonic development and evolution of the North America continent. Lab exercises focus on description and interpretation of sedimentary rocks and environments, and the history of biological evolution.

Prerequisite(s): A 100-level course taught by GEOS faculty.

An introduction to the minerals and rocks that make up the Earth, and how those materials influence the processes that operate within and on the surface of the planet. The framework of the course is the geological, chemical and physical basis for understanding the composition and physical properties of minerals, magmas and rocks, and the processes by which these materials form. An emphasis is placed on examining the interplay between earth materials, society and the environment.

Prerequisite(s): A 100-level course taught by GEOS faculty.

This course provides a venue to explore different topics in Geosciences at the intermediate level".

This course is an introduction to the concepts and uses of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with particular application to environmental issues. The course consists of laboratory exercises on GIS data structures and sources of data, on the use of specific GIS tools, and on practical applications of GIS to real-world tasks. The student will gain skills in spatial data analysis, map generation, and data presentation using ArcGIS software. After successful completion of this course, students who wish to develop advanced GIS skills may enroll in ENVS/GEOS 223.

Crosslisting: ENVS 222.

This course is intended to give the student experience with advanced GIS applications. The focus will be on novel analyses of spatially explicit data pertaining to real-world environment issues.

Prerequisite(s): GEOS 222 or ENVS 222.

Crosslisting: ENVS 223.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allow the organization, analysis, and display of large and varied collections of spatial information. Earth and environmental scientists are increasingly relying on the tools and methodologies of GIS to solve complex problems ranging from the intersection of rising sea level with coastal communities to the mapping and mitigation of landslide hazards in mountain communities. In this course, we will conduct a series of applied projects investigating Earth systems and environmental problems. Each project will include hands-on downloading of data, data processing, developing workflows in ArcGIS, mapmaking and data visualization, and communicating results in written reports. By the end of the term, students will apply the skills learned over the semester in an independent research project. No prerequisites.

This course examines the Earth resources that humans exploit, including (but not limited to) energy, metals, and soil, from both geologic and societal perspectives. We will study: (1) the geologic processes that form these deposits and control their distribution; (2) the methods used to extract the resources and; (3) environmental impact of extraction and resource use. We will also scrutinize the effect on society of the resource, including conflict, labor, sustainability and class issues. The course will combine lab activities, scientific discussion and readings from academic literature, popular media, and activist propaganda. The end result will be the ability to bring together the science of Earth resources with the broader human context of resource exploitation. This course fulfills the P (Power & Justice) GE requirement.

Prerequisite(s): A 100 level course taught by GEOS faculty or consent of instructor.

This course will provide students with an introduction to the world's oceans. Topics will include: the sea floor and its sediments; the physical properties and chemistry of seawater; ocean circulation; waves and tides; life in the seas; and environmental issues and concerns facing the oceans today. By the end of this course students will have explored many of the basic concepts in modern oceanography, and should be able to integrate new concepts and data into their developing knowledge of the Earth.

In this course, you will discover the wide variety of geologic processes at work across the planets, moons, asteroids and comets of our solar system. We will examine the missions and instruments used to observe extraterrestrial objects, the data collected and how to use it to unravel the geologic history of distant areas and what conditions are needed to support life outside Earth. In the end, you will design your own mission to investigate another piece of the solar system. This course will be a mix of class lecture and activities, labs and presentations/discussions with readings from academic publications, popular media and books. Fulfills the R (Oral Communication) GE requirement.

Prerequisite(s): A 100-level course taught by GEOS faculty.

A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit.

We will investigate how Earth’s topography reflects the response of surface processes to shifts in tectonic, climatic, and human influences. Our study of landscape evolution will focus primarily on hillslopes (creeping soil to catastrophic landslides), rivers (gullies to bedrock gorges), and glaciers (alpine cirques to Midwest moraines) always with a focus on quantifying how the shapes of landforms reflect process. Labs and class activities will require a blend of fieldwork, introductory mapping and data analysis using ArcGIS, and simple numerical modeling. Frequent, short critical writing responses to primary literature will refine both writing skills and our engagement with the forefront of process geomorphology. This course fulfills the W overlay requirement.

Prerequisite(s): Any 100-level course taught by GEOS faculty or consent of instructor.

An introduction to the study of fossil invertebrates with emphasis on preservation, taphonomy, diversity trajectories through geologic time, evolutionary mechanisms, extinction, paleobiology and paleoecology. Special emphasis will be placed on using fossils to interpret ancient depositional environments. Labs will introduce the student to the major invertebrate phyla commonly preserved in the geologic rock record.

Prerequisite(s): GEOS 210 or BIOL 230.

Study of the deformation of the Earth's crust. How and why rocks deform; geometry and interpretation of folds, faults, and rock fabrics; regional tectonics and mountain building. Labs emphasize interpretations of geologic structures in hand specimens, outcrops and geologic maps; and includes opportunities for geologic field mapping and a weekend field trip to the Appalachian fold and thrust belt.

Prerequisite(s): GEOS 210 or GEOS 211 or consent of instructor.

This course examines the processes that produce magma and metamorphic at high temperature. It also explores volcanism and the hazards produced by eruptions. We will employ the reasoning and approaches used to understand petrology including petrography, geochemistry, data analysis and modeling. Key topics include high-temperature isotopes and thermodynamics, formation of magmas in different tectonic settings, the physical processes of volcanism, hazards posed by volcanic activity and using metamorphic reactions to assess the tectonic history of rocks. We will explore petrology and volcanology through labs, primary literature, research projects and group assignments.

Prerequisite(s): GEOS 211 or consent of instructor.

This course explores the processes that transfer water between the various reservoirs of the hydrologic cycle. Working mostly at the watershed scale, we will study the balance between precipitation, evapotranspiration, and runoff by drawing on both field methods and the analysis of hydrologic datasets using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). We will study the flow of surface water through natural and engineered rivers, and the flow of groundwater through shallow soils and deep aquifers. Throughout the course, we will strive for an applied approach to Hydrology that explicitly links key concepts to the management of water resources.

Prerequisite(s): A 100-level course taught by Geoscience faculty or ENVS 102 or consent of instructor.

This course is an introduction to sedimentary processes and sedimentary rocks. The course will cover three major areas: (1) physical sedimentology (how sedimentary rocks are formed); (2) depositional systems (where sedimentary rocks are formed and how they differ from place to place); and (3) stratigraphy (how sedimentary rocks are used to solve geological problems). Labs will expose students to sedimentary rocks under the microscope, in hand sample, and in the field.

Prerequisite(s): GEOS 210 or GEOS 211 or consent of instructor.

Light stable isotope analysis has become a nearly ubiquitous component of (paleo)environmental research. Stable isotopes of Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Sulfur have been used to integrate, indicate, record, and trace important physical and biological process operating at or near Earth’s surface. This course will focus on how stable isotope systems can been used to study (paleo)climatology and (paleo)oceanography, hydrology, pollution, biogeochemical cycling, metabolism, photosynthesis, and (paleo)ecology.

Prerequisite(s): GEOS 210 or GEOS 211.

Individual readings and laboratory work in a student's field of interest within the Geosciences.

Individual readings and laboratory work in a student's field of interest within the Geosciences.

A study of geologic and tectonic processes at the global scale. Major topics include plate tectonic theory and development, topography and geology of the sea floor, plate geometries and processes at plate margins, volcanic arcs, collisional orogenies and mountain building, and the influence of tectonic processes on earth history.

Prerequisite(s): GEOS 210 or GEOS 211 or consent of instructor.

This course is designed to help majors apply what they have learned throughout their undergraduate careers to a real-world issue or topic in the geosciences. The seminar will meet weekly with all members of the Geoscience faculty. The seminar topic will be selected by the entire geosciences faculty. Both students and faculty will be responsible for presenting summaries of weekly readings, although the majority will be presented by students. The course will be organized and administered by the department chair. Geoscience majors with senior standing or permission of instructor.

A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit.

A B.S. major in Geosciences must register for an approved summer field course offered by any one of a number of universities. Upon the successful completion of the course, the student receives credit transferable to their record at Denison.

An advanced seminar or problem-oriented course which involves a semester-long investigation of such topics as field techniques in geosciences, advanced structural geology, geochemistry, or geomorphology.

An advanced seminar or problem-oriented course which involves a semester-long investigation of a global perspective in such issues as ocean resources and territorial rights, population growth, and food needs.

Prerequisite(s): A 200-level course or permission of instructor.